In his time in Ireland, Joe Schmidt became something of a slayer of the Scots. As Leinster coach, he won 75% of his games against Glasgow and Edinburgh. As Ireland coach, he won seven out of eight, or 87.5%.
The one Test he lost against Scotland was busgate in 2017 when Schmidt alleged SRU chicanery after Ireland’s transport supposedly didn’t turn up on time to take them to Murrayfield, a slight delay that apparently fried the brains of those well-known psychological weaklings Tadhg Furlong, Sean O’Brien, Conor Murray and Rob Kearney.
The bus thing was a weird aberration for Schmidt and one he’ll be reminded of this week. He’s back in Scotland now as coach of Australia. Gregor Townsend’s team take on the Wallabies on Sunday in what could be a riot of a Test between two sides built on flamboyant attack.
Schmidt inherited a shambles this year, then stumbled his way through the Rugby Championship, finishing bottom. In playing such mesmeric rugby in victory over England and then putting up a record score against an admittedly lamentable Wales, Schmidt’s magic seems to be working earlier than anybody thought it would.
And magic is the right word. In his time with Leinster, Schmidt won two European Cups, one European Challenge Cup and one Pro12. His Ireland team won the Six Nations in 2014 and 2015, beat New Zealand for the first time in 2016, won away to South Africa for the first time also in 2016 and secured a Grand Slam, a first series win in Australia in nearly 40 years and a second Test win over the All Blacks all in 2018.
Schmidt is one of the most compelling coaches the game has known. He spent a decade in Ireland and to the public he was charming, thoughtful, soft and cuddly. A national treasure. To his players, he was brilliant, ruthless, unbelievably intense and incredibly demanding. Only his players saw this side of him, the other Joe.
Ireland under Schmidt were possession monsters who inflicted death by phases. His Australia team is different. The style is slightly more rapier and less bludgeon, but he’s got the firepower to mix it up.
It’s interesting to look back on the things his Ireland players said because some of the Australia players are hinting at the same things now.
“He’s like a constant voice in your head,” said Johnny Sexton. “I learned pretty early that Joe had eyes in the back of his head,” said Tommy Bowe.
“We were playing Samoa in our first game under Joe and we were doing a video session a few days before,” said Paul O’Connell.
“All these Samoans with incredibly long and hard to pronounce names, but Joe pronounced every name immaculately. I suppose it’s his way of saying, ‘I’ve done my job. I know these guys inside out and now it’s your turn to do your job with the same level of detail.'”
Schmidt famously missed nothing. His attention to detail was microscopic.
Rugby in Australia has been under the cosh for close to two decades. Worrying amounts of debt, falling participation numbers, falling broadcast numbers, falling crowds, a world ranking that’s fallen to eighth and an early World Cup exit last year.
It’s only a tiny sample size but the last few weeks under Schmidt have revealed some light at the end of that long tunnel.
Getting him was a coup. He performed miracles in Ireland. Is he on his way to doing the same with the Wallabies? We’ll learn more on what should be a special Sunday at Murrayfield.
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